A Green Edventures Program Led by BergrĂłs, Inga & Tara
Composed by Tara Short, Founder & CEO of Green Edventures Eco Tours
I’ve always been fascinated by knitting. It took me seven years to decide that I wanted to offer knitting workshops as a way to help people fall in love with—and truly connect with—Iceland. Our Iceland knitting workshop in the remote Westfjords was more than a creative retreat; it was a journey into heritage, connection, and women’s stories.
The Lopapeysa is more than a sweater; it’s a story of survival, creativity, and identity. For over a thousand years, Icelandic wool has kept people warm, dry, and connected to the land and animals that sustain them. Every stitch carries a piece of history—family traditions passed down from mother to daughter, generation after generation.
Iceland Westfjords knitting lopapeysa sweater made by participants.
The Westfjords, however, are far off the beaten path. While everyone seems to be heading to Iceland these days, few venture to this remote and rugged corner where mountains rise straight from the sea and where stories of the past still echo through valleys and fishing villages. This workshop felt more like a pilgrimage than a trip—an invitation to slow down, create, and connect.
I had the privilege of facilitating it alongside two incredible Icelandic women, Bergrós and Inga, who are both dear friends and experts in their craft. Together, we guided a group of knitters through a week of wool, stories, laughter, and discovery. Sometimes I have to pinch myself that I get to do this for a living—to bring strangers together in beautiful places and watch them become like family.
Knitting in nature at the sailor’s museum. An old-timer fisherman joined us in traditional fishing gear.
ReykjavĂk Beginnings
Our Iceland knitting workshop and cultural tour began in ReykjavĂk, where autumn had just started to paint the trees in shades of gold and rust. Yarn shopping was our first stop, naturally. “These ladies love buying yarn,” Inga said with a knowing smile as skeins of Icelandic wool—lopi—piled high in our baskets.
Shopping for yarn at the hand knitting association.
We learned about tog (the long, weatherproof outer fibers) and þel (the soft, insulating inner layer) that together make Icelandic wool so remarkable. At the Ístex factory, we watched the machinery spin and twist wool into thread—ancient tradition meeting modern mechanics. It was impossible not to reach out and touch the piles of loose fleece, resisting the childlike urge to jump in like a ball pit.
From ReykjavĂk, we began our scenic drive toward the Westfjords. As we headed north, the autumn colors deepened—red, gold, green, and orange painted across the hillsides. We stopped to stretch our legs at a small waterfall, where the air smelled faintly of moss and volcanic rock. Inga pointed out a deep hole in the lava nearby and explained that long ago, this landscape was covered in forests. When a volcanic eruption swept through, molten lava encased the trees and preserved their shapes in stone—a snapshot of Iceland’s prehistoric past.
Tara & Sue at a waterfall stop in Westfjords
By early evening, we arrived at our cozy country hotel, checked into our rooms, and gathered for a dinner of fresh cod before settling in for the night.
Northern Lights and the Call of the Fjords
That night, after a dinner of fresh cod at our country hotel, I peeked outside. The sky was crystal clear, and faint green streaks shimmered on the horizon. I started knocking on doors—“Aurora!” Soon a few of us were standing outside, wrapped in coats and blankets, watching ribbons of light dance across the Icelandic sky. It wasn’t the brightest display I’ve seen, but no one ever regrets getting up for the northern lights.
Inside Our Iceland Knitting Workshop: Learning the Art of the Lopapeysa
The next morning, we met our knitting instructor and designer, BergrĂłs, who has been knitting since childhood. Together, we began our practice on doll-sized Lopapeysa samples, learning what makes a small version of an authentic Icelandic sweater: seamless circular knitting, three or more colors, and the traditional patterned yoke that symbolizes unity and protection.
“Each sweater tells a story,” Bergrós said. “It keeps you warm—but it also connects you to where you are.”
Afternoon soaking in a hot spring by the sea.
We visited a nearby farm just in time for the réttir—the annual sheep roundup that was a completely unplanned gift of timing. Families of all ages herded sheep down from the mountains, along a golden beach, and into the corrals. A living river of wool flowed against the backdrop of the Westfjords’ dramatic tabletop peaks. The air was full of laughter, barking dogs, and the chorus of “baaaahhhh.”
Later that day, we soaked in a seaside hot spring originally built to teach fishermen how to swim. “They thought it was better to drown than to suffer in the cold water,” Inga said with a grin. We followed with laughter, conversation, and a few brave dips into the North Atlantic—living proof that connection thrives in shared courage and warmth.
What Makes Our Iceland Knitting Workshop Unique
Throughout the week, Inga and BergrĂłs shared stories that wove together history, myth, and family. We heard about FlĂłki VilgerĂ°arson, the Viking who named Iceland after enduring a harsh Westfjords winter.
We listened as Bergrós shared her own story of loss and resilience—how she turned grief into creativity, designing seven dresses to represent seven days of rediscovered joy.
“Sometimes,” she said, “you have to pull back what you’ve knitted to create your true vision.”
BegrĂłs teaching the group one of the techniques needed to make a lopapeysa.
We met young farmers reviving old homesteads, a woman who dyes wool using herbs gathered on the hillsides, and learned that fishermen’s mittens once had two thumbs so they could be flipped when wet. We also discovered that it took eleven sheepskins and fish oil to waterproof a fisherman’s suit—a testament to the ingenuity of Icelandic families who lived, quite literally, at the edge of the world.
Inga took us to her childhood village and the fish factory where she began working at twelve. Her great-grandmother once knitted mittens with an eight-blade rose pattern that, years later, unknowingly connected her to Bergrós—a story that left us all marveling at the invisible threads that bind generations.
Inga’s grandmother gave BergrĂłs a pair of mittens that she made decades before she and Inga became friends.
“Knitting circles are protective,” Bergrós reminded us one evening. “Each loop is a circle. Each woman adds to the pattern.”
Threads That Bind
By week’s end, it wasn’t just sweaters that had taken shape—it was friendship. We visited a dollhouse museum created from a granddaughter’s promise, drove through rain-soaked fjords under double rainbows, and listened to Inga recall the childhood ghosts and guardians that shaped her sense of place.
As we wound our way through the misty fjords, I felt a tug in my chest. Watching Inga trace her roots through every bend in the road and every story she told, I realized how deeply I long for a place like that—a landscape that mirrors the stories of my own family. I wondered how many Icelanders will still be here to tell these stories in another generation, and how lucky we were to be hearing them now.
Wool, roots, and women—woven together by time and love.
I don’t want to be rich. I want the slow life and the low light—the rhythm of shorebirds, waterfalls, and changing seasons.
Cindy, Inga, and Vicki in the Westfjords. We were lucky to see a sheep round up (rettir). The farmer welcomed us on his farm.
Join Us In September
Our Westfjords Lopapeysa Knitting Workshop & Cultural Tour is not just about learning stitches—it’s about tracing stories, building friendships, and celebrating the women who keep Iceland’s traditions alive. Learn to knit the traditional Lopapeysa, soak in natural hot springs, and explore the fjords through the eyes of locals.
This trip is offered in September every year.Â
👉 Learn more and check availability here
About the Author
Tara Short is the Founder & CEO of Green Edventures Eco Tours, a women-led travel company offering educational adventures and workshops around the world. Since 2008, she has guided thousands of travelers through experiences that connect nature, culture, and community. Tara believes every journey is a chance to learn, grow, and rediscover what matters most—whether that’s through snorkeling with whale sharks, hiking Arctic fjords, or knitting under the northern lights.
Learn more about Tara and Green Edventures Eco Tours →
More Reading
Check out this blog by Tour Leader, Lori Anderson about our Green Edventures Shawls & Sheep Iceland Knitting Tour.
